Garth Brooks worked on a house for Habitat for Humanity in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 7, 2010. (The Birmingham News / Greg Garrison)

Country music superstar Garth Brooks spent most of Thursday morning and afternoon working alongside Geri Smith, helping her put the finishing touches on her new Habit for Humanity home.

They struggled with putting up a towel rack in the bathroom and made small talk painting the front door, interrupted briefly when Brooks' wife, country music singer Trisha Yearwood, called him on his cell phone.

Smith said she was nervous about introducing Brooks at a Thursday night dinner in front of former President Jimmy Carter. Brooks suggested an introduction: "Something simple like the greatest entertainer of all time," he said. "Some of my hobbies: eating and napping."

Brooks has been a longtime volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, which has built 38 houses in a subdivision called Wylam Oaks. It's part of the 27th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, which includes the construction of homes across the country. A total of 86 homes are being built or repaired in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Md.; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; and Birmingham.

Garth Brooks and Geri Smith worked on a house Thursday that Ms. Smith plans to move into with her three children this weekend. (The Birmingham News / Greg Garrison)

"I really look forward to this," Brooks said. He said recipients of houses like Smith help build their own houses, and help others receiving houses. "One of the biggest misunderstandings about Habitat is that they give away homes for free," Brooks said. "They don't. These people work their butts off."